Section Head (Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition)

The Section Head leads the Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Section, ensuring the development and implementation of nuclear and related techniques to improve sustainable agricultural production systems. The role involves team leadership, management of resources, technical guidance, and policy advice to enhance soil, water, and crop nutrient management practices.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Section, providing leadership and guidance to staff, and establishing and monitoring standards of excellence in performance.
• Ensure full coordination and transparency in all activities and deliberations of the Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Section with internal and external stakeholders.
• In consultation with the Head of the Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Laboratory, contribute to the strategic direction of the Joint FAO/IAEA Programme on soil and water management and crop nutrition, provide leadership and guidance to all staff assigned, develop the sub-programme and its budget including the establishment of goals, priorities and working plan, and monitor and report outputs.
• Ensure the visibility and impact of the Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Subprogramme's activities.
• Within the general framework of the Joint FAO/IAEA Programme, lead the development, adaptation and validation of nuclear and related techniques to improve soil, water and crop nutrient management practices.
• Ensure the generation and provision of scientific and technical input to the policy and standards development of the Joint FAO/IAEA Programme and other national and international bodies (e.g. FAO and CGIAR centres).

Requirements

• Master's Degree - Advanced University Degree in Soil Science, Agronomy or related disciplines with proven background in the use of nuclear techniques in soil, agricultural water and crop nutrient management.
• PhD in above area would be a strong asset.
• Minimum of ten years working experience in research and development on soil-plant-water interactions that influence soil quality, land productivity and water use efficiency for sustainable agricultural production systems at both national and international settings.
• Experience in leading functional teams, and management and administration of human and financial resources, programme planning and budgeting, especially in high quality R&D activities related to soil science and related disciplines using nuclear techniques as one of research tools.
• Experience in policy development of soil-plant-water management strategies for sustainable agricultural production systems that are resilient to climate changes and variability and minimise GHG emissions.
• In-depth knowledge of monitoring contamination of agricultural land and water for remediation purposes through the use of isotopic techniques.
• Ability to keep abreast of relevant technological developments and to seize opportunities to make an impact on sustainable agricultural production in developing Member States.
• Awareness of relevant FAO and IAEA mechanisms and procedures, including Coordinated Research Projects and Technical Cooperation Projects would be an asset.
• Ability to develop and formulate the subprogramme and projects related to water, soil and environmental management, and to mobilise extra-budgetary funding for the subprogramme.
• Ability to convey scientific information both to scientific and non-scientific audiences in a clear manner.
• Excellent oral and written command of English.
• Knowledge of other official IAEA languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is an asset.

Skills

• Soil Science
• Agronomy
• Nuclear Techniques
• Soil-Plant-Water Interactions
• Soil Quality Management
• Water-Use Efficiency
• Sustainable Crop Production
• Research and Development
• Team Leadership
• Human Resources Management
• Financial Resource Management
• Programme Planning
• Budgeting
• Policy Development
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction
• Isotopic Measurements
• Contamination Monitoring
• Project Formulation
• Fundraising
• Scientific Communication
• English Language Proficiency

Languages

English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish